Moonlight Serenade
by Artemis Day
Summary: Now that Jane and Bucky's new relationship has taken off, Jane is content to move forward towards a beautiful future. But every vampire has a past, and Jane isn't quite ready to let go of hers. Part four of the By the Light of the Moon series.
1. I'll Be Seeing You

**A/N: So here's something we've all been waiting for. The first story in my continuation of By The Light Of The Moon. If you've read my other connected one-shot, 75 Minutes, please note that the majority of this story takes place AFTER that story. The first scene, however, takes place immediately after By The Light Of The Moon. If you haven't read 75 Minutes, I recommend you go do that right now, then come back and read this.**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

The evening of November 1st saw Jane lounging around on Darcy's couch, watching a black and white love story play out on the TV screen. After an eventful Halloween, this was just what she need to relax. She might've dozed off if she hadn't slept a full eight hours during the day, and if Darcy wasn't in the kitchen loudly chatting over the phone about whatever 'that dickwipe Ted from the break room' did to get nutshotted by 'Crazy Haired Angie, the receptionist'.

As Darcy laughed uproariously, Jane shoved a pillow as far as she could into her ear. That brought the grinding pain down to a lowish drone, but she cursed her sensitive hearing anyway. Thankfully, Darcy chose that moment to hang up and come skipping into the living room. She plopped down next to Jane and pulled the pillow away.

"Wakey wakey eggs and bakey," she sang. Jane reached for the pillow, but Darcy threw it aside. "Ah ah ah! Get up, Lazybones. You have to tell me what happened last night."

"What makes you think _anything_ happened?"

"Because I know you," Darcy said. "You've lived here practically as long as I have. Come, my beautiful non-sparkler. Tell me the tale!"

Jane sat up, glaring sharply at Darcy. "First off, I told you never to mention those books to me again. Second... If you must know, I went to the park, I saw some trick-or-treaters, I met a guy, and I sat in a coffee shop for a while. Okay?"

"Okay," Darcy said, giving her a thumbs up. "But what was that third thing you said?"

Jane bit her lip. "I sat in a coffee shop."

"No, before that."

"...I saw some trick-or-treaters?"

" _After_ that."

She gave Jane an accusing stare, all but forcing her to acquiesce. "Fine. I met a guy."

Darcy squealed and jumped around. "That's my girl! I knew one day you'd find a nice vampire boy. Tell me all about him!"

This was why Jane should've just stayed in her shed. "Well, he's not a vampire first of all."

"Oooooh, a forbidden love between the living and the undead. I like it! Very… er, _not_ Twilight."

Jane raised an eyebrow at her but continued. "His name is Bucky, and he's a really sweet guy. We talked a bit, I met some of his friends-"

"Did you bite him?"

"We went to the- _what?_ No, I didn't bite him! What kind of question is that?"

"I think it's a logical one. Unless you didn't tell him you're a vampire."

Jane sighed. She checked the clock on the wall, but it was still three hours before Ian got home from work, and until then, Darcy would remain undistracted and determined to get whatever she could out of her.

"I didn't tell him," Jane said. "He figured it out himself… because he's a werewolf."

Darcy's eyebrows shot up. "A werewolf?"

Jane nodded.

"Like an actual, howling, transforms in the full moon werewolf?"

"Well, he's an Alpha, so he doesn't have to change if he doesn't want to."

"Damn, that's even better," Darcy grinned. "Your love story is going to be one for the books. Specifically the book I will eventually write."

"You'd better not."

"How does 'The Vampire and Her Alpha Werewolf Lover' sound?"

"Like self-published erotica on Amazon." Jane picked up another pillow and threw it at her. "Knock it off. I literally met this guy yesterday. Just because we had a nice time doesn't mean he'll want to see me again."

"Geez. Try being positive once in a while. It'll do you good."

When Jane didn't answer, Darcy got up off the couch. She walked out of Jane's peripheral vision, humming to herself about getting something to eat before she starved to death. That was unlikely, in Jane's opinion, but it was not one she cared to voice. Not when she was about to get her coveted alone time back. Her brow furrowed when she didn't hear Darcy go all the way to the kitchen. Unless Jane's ears were deceiving her (even more unlikely), it sounded like she'd paused at the front door.

"Hey, Jane?" Darcy called out, an odd quality to her voice. "This werewolf guy you met. Would he happen to be around six feet tall, dark hair, blue eyes, and hotter than the seventh circle of Hell?"

Jane sat up. "What are you talking about?"

Darcy pointed at the door, but even without going over, Jane knew what she would see through the glass. She peeked out the window instead, and there he was. He had the on the same jacket, but even without it, he was unmistakable. He had one hand in his pocket as the knuckle of the other tapped lightly on the door.

"Oh my god," Jane hissed. "I can't believe it. He's here."

"What do you mean you can't believe it? If you had a good time, did you really think he wouldn't call the next day?"

"I mean, I'd hoped, but I wasn't expecting anything, I just-"

"Hey there!" Bucky called out. "Someone going to answer the door?"

"Can he hear us?" Darcy whispered.

"Yes, I can," Bucky answered.

"He's a werewolf, Darcy, he can hear everything," Jane ground out.

"More or less," said Bucky.

Darcy gave Jane a look, a silent signal of 'what are you waiting for?' that Jane couldn't ignore if she wanted to. Going to the door, she did everything she could to keep herself calm. She inhaled oxygen into lungs that didn't need it. Her fingers flexed in and out, an old technique Erik once taught her that usually worked wonders.

She opened the door and smiled at Bucky. "Hey there. How's it going?"

* * *

Jane switched on the desk lamp, filling the room with a golden glow that mimicked the bare visages of sunlight creeping below the horizon. As it vanished, and the moon rose to take its place, Jane marked off another day on her calendar. The time was a quarter to five. Right on schedule.

She set the alarm on her phone for six in the morning. Once the sun started to rise, she'd want to be back inside, curtains drawn and under the covers as soon as possible. She might not sleep right away- she never did- but after yesterday's nearly disastrous trip to the grocery store, she wasn't taking chances. The room spun a little, though that could be attributed to the artificial light and the undrawn curtains. She threw them open, embracing the healing rays of moonlight. It was beautiful tonight. Not yet full, but perfect for a first date.

She'd found a slip of paper taped to the back of the door upon waking up. An address was written on it with 'hope to see you soon' and a winky face underneath. The street was not one Jane knew, but a quick search on google maps brought her to a square brick building pressed between a record store and a pizzeria. There were umbrellas set up over an outdoor dining area, but the picture had been taken at night, and the inside was packed with people. Over the door was a sign in bold neon lights. Jane giggled at the predictable name.

Next, she dug through her closet, past her day clothes to the black plastic bag stuffed into the far corner. Inside was everything Darcy had ever bought for her on one of her bi-monthly shopping sprees. In her mind, the real reason Jane didn't have a boyfriend was that she didn't dress the part, not because she was partially dead.

Jane dumped out a pile of backless dresses and lacy thong panties. One dress went down to her knees and flared at the skirt. Jane held it up in front of the mirror, thankful that the 'no reflection' myth, like so many others, wasn't true to life. The dress looked like it would fit her, and it had a back, she peeled off her pajamas, leaving her underwear on, and kicked the thongs under the couch. Maybe later she'd start a nice bonfire.

To her relief, the dress fit her like a glove. It accentuated her curves, making her look bustier than she was. Casual enough to say 'I don't expect anything', but racy enough to say 'I'm up for it if you are.'

She shoved the bag back into her closet, feeling around for her shoes. There was a pair back there that was almost the same color as her dress. She found a few boxes, one of them smaller than the rest with something rough on top. Furrowing her brow, Jane stretched to get a better grip on it. Out came a cardboard box covered in watercolor stars. It was instantly recognizable and Jane's heart skipped a beat as she read the words painted on the lid.

"Jane's Happy Life."

Inside was an array of old photographs, buttons from her mother's favorite dress, a decaying feather she'd found on her class field trip to the zoo in second grade, a gemstone from her father the year before he died. So many precious memories, coming back to her in a powerful wave. This was the way she lived once. This was a normal, human life...

One of the photos was an old polaroid, taken in the living room of her childhood home. The TV in the background was on, but the screen was just a glowing white ball of snow. The whole thing was enormous, too. Hard to believe that used to be state of the art technology. Jane's six-year-old self waved at the camera, as did the blonde headed boy sitting next to her. Now there was a face she could pick out of a crowd. Only one person was missing, and then it would've been a perfect shot.

At the bottom of the box was another trinket that made her gut twist. Jane held it up to the light, staring through the hole in the middle. She felt the plastic gold band and the tiny imprinted letters that still held traces of red paint. Without it, it would be impossible to make out what it said, but Jane knew. She'd always know.

* * *

 _"I can't believe you're leaving! You can't move away. You just can't!"_

 _She had tears in her eyes and her head hurt from crying, but no matter how much he teased her for it, Jane had always been a crybaby. All the other kids in school would laugh if they were here, but if it meant his parents would change their mind and stay, Jane would've happily let them. She clung to him with stubby arms that couldn't reach all the way around him, skinny as he was._

 _He bonked her lightly on the head with his fist. "Stupid. Do you think that's the face I want to see when I think of you?"_

 _Jane sucked back the mucus and wiped her eyes. It did little good, as his father called out that he had to get in the car now so they could get to the airport on time. Jane hugged him even tighter, using all the strength in her tiny body to keep him just a little bit longer._

 _"You can't…" she repeated. "I'll miss you too much."_

 _His father was still yelling, but his mother could be heard calming him down. "Let them finish saying goodbye," she said. "We'll make it."_

 _Jane felt his hand on her head again, this time a gentle pat. "Jane, if you promise to stop crying, I'll give you a gift before I go."_

 _"A gift?" she asked._

 _He smiled at her, a rarity in its own right. He never smiled unless he'd just put a frog in someone's backpack or dyed his brother's hair pink. "That's better. I'm not sure if it's good enough, though."_

 _Jane scowled and puffed out her cheeks. "Why are you always so mean to me?"_

 _"There it is," he said, pointing at her face. "That's how I want to remember you."_

 _He fished through his pocket and pulled out two rings. They looked like the stuff you get out of egg toys, and both of them read 'Best Friends Forever' in big red letters._

 _"What's this for?" Jane asked as he took her by the hand and slid on the ring._

 _"So you won't forget me," he said. "You wear yours all the time, and I'll wear mine, and someday, when we're older, we'll find each other again. Until then, it'll help you when you're nervous. It'll give you courage."_

 _"How's a dumb old ring supposed to do that?"_

 _"Because I said so."_

* * *

'Because I said so.' If she remembered correctly, that had been his answer to all of her questions.

Why should they jump the fence to Mr. Porter's backyard to see if a monster lived there? Because he said so.

Why would bringing a live garter snake to class and feeding it a mouse count as a science project? Because he said so.

Amazing what could come out of a six-year-old's mind, especially _that_ six-year-old. Lord only knows how he turned out as an adult. Thinking about that would only make Jane's good mood plummet, so she closed the box and stored it back into her closet. She kept the ring, turning it between her fingers. It was smaller than she remembered, and despite all of her beliefs to the contrary, her hands had grown since she was six. She could barely get it past the knuckle of her ring finger. It slipped easily onto her pinky finger, and she flexed a few times to make sure there was no risk to her circulation. In proper light, she could almost make out every single letter. 'Best Friends Forever.'

"I hope you still have some courage left in you," she said.

She grabbed her coat and headed out.

* * *

Full Moon Cafe and Restaurant was a bustling night spot tucked into the heart of downtown. That was Jane's initial impression upon seeing the line that led out the door and catching the smell of cooking food wafting through the vents. Steak and lobster stuck out to her most apparently, with a hint of green beans and something chocolate for dessert mixed in. At times, Jane lamented that she could no longer eat human food, but this moment trumped them all.

She couldn't see past the crowd, no matter how high she stood on tiptoes. Cursing her lack of height, she went around to the side door. It was propped open, and a young man dragged out a bag of garbage. He had a cigarette clamped between his teeth, and hair so blond it was almost white. He must've seen Jane coming, being in all likelihood another werewolf, but he didn't acknowledge her until she was in front of him, blocking his way.

"Hi, sorry to bother you," she said, "but I wanted to see your boss?"

He took a drag from his cigarette. It was almost out, but he seemed determined to make the most of it. His eyes for a moment turned gold. His lips parted in a faint snarl, and either the crowd was getting louder, or that was a growl she was hearing.

"Any particular reason why?" he asked, looking her up and down like he was sizing up a potential threat. Jane found herself doing the same.

He was taller than her, around Bucky's height, though not nearly as bulky. He had the sinewy build of a marathon runner and the stance of a fighter. If there was an altercation, he would probably win.

"I'm a friend of his," she said firmly. "My name is Jane Foster. He might've mentioned me."

"Not that I'd heard." He hauled the garbage over his shoulder and walked past her, making sure to stab her one more time with his dark lupine gaze.

Jane refused to break eye contact or show fear. He tossed the bag into the dumpster while Jane made her way up the stairs. He caught sight of her and opened his mouth to start yelling. Before he could, the door flew open, and Natasha stepped into view.

"Are you having a nice leisurely walk, Maximoff?" She shouted. "I told you to take out the trash ten minutes ago. Don't tell me you've been out here hitting on customers again."

The face he made, in contrast with the tough guy image he'd been cultivating, brought a smile to Jane's face. He spat and sputtered, his heavily accented words bearing little meaning to Jane beyond frothing rage. Natasha's hand found Jane's shoulder, gently squeezing. "Glad you came. Don't worry about Pietro. He didn't get his afternoon nap today, so he's cranky."

"I _heard_ that!"

"I can tell," Jane whispered back. "Is Bucky here?"

"He is, and he's been waiting for you." Natasha wiggled her eyebrows. "I think he wants to take you on a private tour."

Jane forced a cool smile, even as heat built up inside of her. She walked through the door into a busy kitchen. Chefs and cooking assistants were everywhere, carrying armfuls of food and cooking utensils back and forth between stations. Lycan speed and a mastery of the craft created a swift if hectic routine where Jane could see a family-sized dessert assembled and ready for pick up five minutes after the order came in. She recognized only one man: Clint Barton, Natasha's mate. He wore a white coat and moved a steak off the grill onto a plate with some garnish. He looked their way and winked, gesturing over his shoulder. A man stood there with his back to them, reading off a clipboard. His shoulders bunched, his jacket off for a change. That left him with only a shirt so tight it was like it had been painted on.

Jane crept across the room, all the noise of clanking instruments drowning out her footsteps. She bent her knees, ready to leap at him. He whirled around and hauled her into his arms before she could.

"Nice try," he said, lifting her off her feet, "but you'd have to get up pretty early in the morning to catch me by surprise."

"That's fine," Jane laughed. "I'm always up early."

"You got me there." He set her down, keeping one hand around her waist. "So Jane, welcome to the Full Moon. What do you think?"

Natasha had gone to help Clint clear his station. One man a few spots over shouted for a butcher knife. Clint tossed it by the blade, and the other man snatched it out of the air between his fingers. Neither of them ever looked up.

"It's not what I would've expected from a werewolf pack," Jane observed as another waiter with a tray of appetizers went by. "Does your clientele know the theme of the restaurant?"

"Well, they know that we like to wear gold contact lenses every October," said Bucky. "My pack has about forty members, some of whom are kids. Most packs have had centuries to accumulate enough wealth to take care of everyone, but we're a bunch of misfit nomads who came together three years ago. We gotta make money somehow."

"So you own this restaurant," Jane looked out the swinging doors at the crowded dining room.

"Technically, I co-own it with Natasha," said Bucky. "And technically, we own the whole building. All ten floors."

"All of it?"

"It was a pain in the ass getting the money together, but yup." Bucky moved with her around a man carrying a pot of soup. "We live here for most of the year, except on the full moon when we go into the forest for a week to hunt. Our venison is the most popular item on the menu, for the record. You won't find it any fresher."

"Are you just telling me this because you know I can't eat it and want to torture me?"

"No, he's making small talk because you make him feel like a scared virgin," Clint shouted.

"Hey, Barton, how well do you think you can cook with a broken arm?" Bucky snapped at him.

"Be nice," Jane said, running her thumb over his knuckles. Though Barton and a few other cooks still snickered, this was enough to mollify Bucky. He led her into a more secluded part of the kitchen. Jane's back hit the wall and she felt a blast of ice through her winter coat.

"Sorry, that's the freezer," said Bucky. He hadn't let go of her hand. "I'm glad you came."

"How could I not? I have to find out if yesterday meant anything."

Jane moved off the wall, away from the cold and into his inviting warmth. His hands found her hips and squeezed. "You know, when I kiss a girl the way I kissed you, I like to think I'm making my feelings clear."

Jane licked her lips. Her heart burst from her chest and she could only hope the grin she couldn't wipe off wasn't too deranged. "Well… when I kiss a guy back the way I kissed you back, I like to think I'm making my feelings clear."

He leaned in, his forehead tapping hers. She scraped her nails on his solid pecs and wished he wasn't wearing that stupid shirt. They'd have to fix it soon.

"I think it's time I gave you a tour of my office," he said.

"Is it a big office?" asked Jane.

"Huge," he growled, making her tremble. "I've got a great couch. Very roomy."

"Mmm- let's go check it out."

They half walked, half ran through the kitchen, to the whoops and hollers of those not too busy to cheer their Alpha on. Bucky didn't bother ordering them back to work. Natasha had glared them into submission by the time Bucky smacked his fist on a hand-sized knot in the wall. It turned counterclockwise ten degrees and a portion of the wall slid away to create a doorway.

"Remember to use protection," Natasha sang.

Bucky flipped her off and led Jane into a room exquisitely decorated in warm red hues, from the patterned wallpaper to the mahogany carpet. His desk was on the left, with a small lap, a laptop, and stacks of paperwork. Directly opposite was the couch, perfectly spacious just like he said. It was also very comfortable, as Jane noted in the two seconds between Bucky pushing her down and Bucky pinning her arms over her head. Then he was kissing her, and all coherent thought melted away.

He let go eventually to palm her breasts. With her newfound freedom, Jane pulled his shirt up and explored his back muscles, reveling in the heat that seemed to radiate off him. He worked his tongue into her mouth, and with it came a whole new level of inescapable need. Jane kissed him back with all the fervor of a starving man before a banquet table. It had been at least thirty years since a man touched her like this. Even when she was married, Don had never been so passionate, the workaholic that he was. His idea of 'exciting' was leaving the lights on. Meanwhile, Bucky was five seconds away from ripping her clothes off with his teeth and fucking her like an animal.

Which was why she wanted to scream when someone knocked insistently on the door and refused to stop even after Bucky threw a book at it. "Barnes! It's late. Dinner rush is slowing down and we need to go over tomorrow's specials."

"We have the same specials every Friday, Natasha," Bucky answered. "You know that."

"We cut the chocolate mousse cake and the turkey burger from the menu last month, Bucky," Natasha answered, mimicking his tone. "You forgot that."

Bucky looked ready to kill, but he got up and grabbed his shirt off the floor all the same. Jane watched him put it back on, memorizing every contour of his defined abs and wondering when she'd gotten it off. How long had they been in here?

"Sorry, doll," he said, tucking his shirt in. "Duty calls, but we're finishing this as soon as I'm done, understand?"

Jane quivered at his rough tone and nodded obediently. She fixed her dress and followed him out. "I wanted to see the dining room anyway."

Most of the noise that had earlier assaulted her ears before was gone. The activity in the kitchen had slowed and outside, it was clear that most of the guests had been fed and sent home. Only two or three stragglers remained. Jane walked through the swinging door into a room set up to resemble a mountain lodge. The walls were dark brown with electrical lanterns giving the image of a roaring fire. The twenty or thirty tables were round and big enough for four people. On the far end was the bar with two flatscreen TVs turned on to a football game. Pietro was there, wiping down the bar top. He locked eyes with Jane but looked away quickly.

The place was empty, and a young woman with long brown hair locked the door and switched the OPEN sign to CLOSED. Jane found a table by the windows. The night was still young, but many stores and restaurants had already closed their doors. The few still open were the staples of nightlife. A club on one end, a tavern on the other. She couldn't see it from here, but there was a Denny's one block away where, in true drunk fashion, most people woke up hungover at six in the morning.

She soon grew bored of people watching and slid low in her seat to look at the lanterns. Though artificial, they lacked the fluorescence that would burn her retinas. It didn't hurt her any more than it would a human to gaze at them. She closed her eyes, taking in the hum of activity around her. She tried to listen for Bucky, but she could only make out Natasha in the kitchen barking orders at the staff. She caught bits of Clint's voice as well. Bucky was either keeping quiet or in another room.

Or maybe he was sneaking up on her because he didn't know she could sense people coming too. His shadow descended over her, not directly behind her but close enough. "If you're going to jump me, at least wait until we're not in public," she said.

"That's a hell of an offer, Miss, but I think we should get to know each other first."

That was not Bucky's voice.

Jane nearly tripped on a well-placed table leg getting up. The man behind her watched with amusement as she struggled, never once offering to help. He was an older man, probably in his forties. Not as tall as Bucky, but still towering over her. He looked good for his age, handsome and well built. In a plain leather jacket and dark jeans, he could easily blend into the crowd. Jane knew better, though. Her senses might not be what they could be, but she was learning to recognize the difference between a human and something much darker. The way this man carried himself was exactly like Bucky when he faced down Olivia's coven.

"Sorry," Jane said. "I thought you were someone else…"

"I figured," he said, pulling his hands from his pockets to cross them over his chest. "So what's a nice vampire like you doing in a place like this?"

Okay, so she was right on one count. Definitely another werewolf, and probably not one of Bucky's pack. He seemed more like an Alpha himself, which just made his being here all the stranger.

"I'm seeing someone who works here," she said, crossing her arms in turn. "Just so you know."

He shrugged. "None of my business. I didn't think this place would cater to someone with your kind of diet."

"Even if it doesn't, I can go wherever I want." That came out more defensive than she'd intended, but everything about him put her on edge. He hadn't moved from that spot once, but his body language reminded her of a jungle cat ready to pounce upon its prey, and that didn't change even when the kitchen door flew off its hinges.

"Hey!" Bucky shouted, stalking over to them. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

The man's calm didn't fade, but he inched away from Jane's table. "Relax, Barnes, I was just introducing myself to your girlfriend."

"Like hell." Bucky grabbed the man by the collar and threw him against the wall. His feet were almost off the ground, yet he was still no more perturbed than a man with a fly buzzing around his head. "I told you never to come here, Rumlow. You stay the fuck away from my pack, you hear me?"

The man's eyes flicked briefly to Jane. He took Bucky's arms, wrenching the human one off with little effort. The metal one would not budge until Bucky chose to release him. They stared each other down, more of Bucky's pack spilling out of the kitchen to watch or provide backup. Jane didn't know. All she could think was how lucky they were that the windows were tinted. Entertaining as an Alpha fight would be, it wasn't bound to be good for business.

"That's fine," the man said. He broke eye contact with Bucky and headed for the door. "Heard you guys had this place now and I wanted to check it out for myself, but I can see when I'm not welcome."

He brushed past Jane, bumping her arm and not stopping. Bucky growled and started to go after him, but Jane placed herself in his path. "Let it go. It's not a big deal."

"Everything's a big deal with people like that," Bucky said through grit teeth.

Jane looked over her shoulder, but the man was already gone. Bucky ordered his pack back to work, and many of them grumbled like they were disappointed by the lack of bloodshed.

"Who was that?" Jane asked.

"Nobody," said Bucky, "Just one of the many assholes I've had the displeasure of knowing. If you ever see him again, walk away. That guy's nothing but trouble."

They went back into the kitchen, and Bucky immediately took over for Natasha, shouting commands and riding on the dishwasher for not spot checking the silverware. It was thus made clear that the conversation was over, which was fine with Jane. They had better things to do after all. She waited as Bucky delegated Pietro to inventory duty, meeting the younger man's groans with a few choice words that left no room for argument. Then she slipped her hand into his.

"How about a walk in the park?" she asked. "It'll be empty by now. Just us…"

"Janie, if it were up to me, we'd be in my office, and we wouldn't come out for a very long time," he had her flush against him, and everyone around them was making sure not to look the wrong way, "but I'm up for whatever you want, babe."

They left immediately, the lights shutting off behind them. It was a little past midnight now, and the streets were silent. A cool wind blew, leaves dancing around their feet. The clouds were gathering; it looked like it would rain later. The outer gates of the park drew closer. The padlock was in place, but Jane knew other ways to get in. The fence on the south end had a few loose bars that popped in and out with ease.

"So, after our romantic walk," Bucky said, "what do you say I show you my apartment? I have the whole top floor to myself."

"And a very roomy bed?"

Bucky grinned.

Jane rolled her eyes. "You're incorrigible, you know that?"

"I can't help it. You're irresistible." He kissed her soundly, Jane melting into him with a moan and a whimper as his teeth scraped her bottom lip and his tongue licked into her mouth.

"Talk about irresistible…" Jane mumbled.

They stumbled into an alley. A wooden crate proved sturdy enough to hold their weight when Bucky sat with Jane in his lap. He pushed her coat off and threw it aside; she didn't need it anyway. She grinded down on him, reveling in the feel of his body's reaction. A few cars drove by, and the rational side of her insisted that they stop and go somewhere else before they gave all the homeless people and coked up clubbers a show.

"We should go," she said, breaking the kiss. "Your place."

"In a minute," said Bucky. He had her by her thighs, soft flesh under satiny fabric.

She moved her tongue with his, exploring his mouth and his body, learning where he liked to be touched. She found a spot on his side that made him jerk, and she filed that tidbit of information away for later. The big bad Alpha wolf was _ticklish_.

 _'Never thought the night could've ended like this,'_ Jane thought. She closed her left hand into a fist around Bucky's shirt. _'Thanks for the extra dose of bravery.'_

She rubbed her pinkie finger, seeking out the thin gold plastic. She ran her thumb from the tip of her finger to the top of her palm. Skin, skin, skin…

No ring.

Jane flew to her feet, leaving Bucky frozen with his arms around air. He blinked and looked around for her. Jane caught the change in his expression, but couldn't care less as she checked both hands and all ten fingers more times than was reasonable. It only took one to see they were all completely bare.

"Oh no…" Jane got down on her hands and knees. "Where is it?"

"What are you doing?" Bucky asked. He stood over her. Jane checked between his feet and then moved around him, forcing him to step aside before she tripped him. There was nothing where he'd been standing either. Jane's heart was fast sinking into the depths of her stomach. "Jane?"

"I lost it," she muttered to herself. "No. I can't lose it. Where is it?"

"Wait, what did you lose?"

It wasn't here. That meant it had to be somewhere else they'd been. Somewhere down the street or at the restaurant. The kitchen maybe? Or the office. They'd been fooling around for god only knows how long. At any time it could've slipped off and rolled under the couch.

Jane sprinted out of the alley, scanning every corner and crack in the pavement. She never slowed down, even as Bucky raced after her screaming her name until she was back in front of the darkened restaurant.


	2. Heart of Mine Embraces

Jane knew she wasn't fast. Compared to a proper, blood-drinking vampire, she was more like an arthritic eighty-year-old human. Forget her unfortunate origins-the run of the mill low leveler who had turned her into something even lower-with only the bare minimum enhanced speed, the time between each step felt like a year. The streets were too long, the stars too bright. She powered through as best she could, Bucky's voice ever present in her ear, calling after her as he gave chase.

The restaurant came into view and her heart sang. Her eyes moved in ten directions: the sidewalk, the windows, the sign, the back alley, that one long crack in the pavement. Not a hint of plastic gold. Nothing round and nothing small save for piles of dull gray rocks.

Pietro stepped out with a broom in his hand. He got one sweep of dust off the welcome mat before Jane pounced. She threw him against the wall, the back of his head cracking on the brick. He let out an 'oof' as his eyeballs rolled up. Jane lifted him by his shirt, her brain and body on autopilot.

"I'm looking for my ring. Gold plastic with the paint chipped off. Have you seen it?"

"Get the hell off me! What's wrong with you?!" Pietro clamped on her arms and retracted his claws, not that Jane noticed.

"Please tell me you've seen it!"

"Jane!" Bucky skidded to a halt next to her. "Honey, relax. Whatever it is, we'll figure it out."

"I need to find my ring!"

"And we will. Just let Pietro down." He covered her hands with his and coaxed her to lower her arms. Her fingers unfurled, releasing Pietro. He moved out of reach, baring his teeth at Jane.

"Crazy bi-"

"Hey!" Bucky growled, his eyes flashing gold. Though Pietro's snarl of rage didn't drop, he backed down, putting distance between himself and his alpha. "Get back to work, and keep an eye out for Jane's ring."

"Whatever." Pietro snatched up the broom and swatted the ground roughly.

Bucky grumbled about disrespectful teenagers while rubbing circles into the small of Jane's back. "Okay, let's think about this. You say you lost your ring. Are you sure you were wearing it?"

Jane nodded mutely, her voice caught by the steadily forming lump in her throat. "I-it's my good luck charm…helps me when I'm scared."

Bucky inched back. "I scare you?"

"Not like that," Jane said, wiping her eyes. "I mean like if I'm afraid things won't go my way… and things were definitely going my way tonight."

She tried her best to smile. The end result had to be horrendous, but Bucky's beam was a shining beacon of perfection. He tightened his embrace, smushing Jane's face into his shoulder. It was the metal one, but neither of them cared.

"We'll find it, baby, I promise," he said. "It can't have gone far, so if we retrace our steps, you'll have it back in no time."

Even with him bending over, Jane had to get on tiptoes to kiss him. He tasted sweet, and were her finger not cold and ringless, she would've happily drank her fill of him. She pulled away before the heady pleasure overtook her senses. Bucky whined like a sad puppy, but Jane was already on the move. She ran to the back, taking three steps at a time and flew into the kitchen towards his office. Then she doubled back, leaped off the staircase and grabbed a fistful of Bucky's shirt. "Office door. Let's go!"

"Wait-" Jane wouldn't. Once more she flew through the back entrance, slowed down by Bucky's added weight.

At the door, she forced Bucky's hand onto the plate to open it. The office was exactly as they left it, neat aside from the cluttered desk and the pillows on the floor. They hadn't gone near the desk, so she spared it her frantic search efforts for now. She sprung onto the couch, throwing the cushions aside, not caring where they'd land or what they broke. One smacked into the wall. Another hit the floor. The rest Bucky caught with inhuman speed.

"Take it easy, doll," he said, snatching the last cushion out of the air. "You're never going to find it like that!"

"I have to try!" Jane peeked through the space between the couch and a pull-out mattress. "It has to be around here somewhere."

She jumped off the couch and pushed it into the middle of the room. She would've sent it all the way across without Bucky there to catch it. He skidded an inch from the force of her throw.

"This thing was expensive," he said, dodging another pillow without a thought. "Most of the stuff in this room is expensive."

"Do you have any deep emotional attachment to this couch?"

"Well, there was that time long ago when we kissed on it-"

Jane threw another pillow.

The ring wasn't behind the couch. Jane knew it wouldn't be there, but her mother always said, when something was lost, check the last place you'd think to find it first. She went for the desk nex. Bucky had foreseen this and removed his monitor and paperwork before she descended.

"Gotta find it, gotta find it," Jane repeated the mantra from the desk to the file cabinet to the coat rack. She was halfway out the window, sifting through dirt and litter caught in the weeds sprouting from a crack in the pavement. She slipped once and Bucky was there, ignoring her complaints as he pulled her inside.

"A stupid ring isn't worth breaking your neck," he shouted.

 _"Stupid?"_ If Jane didn't like Bucky so much, she'd knock his head off. "That stupid ring is important to me, and I'm going to find it with or without your help!"

She intended to dart past him, but Bucky was faster as well as stronger. The next thing Jane knew, she was seated on the couch, a cushion shoved behind her back and a throw pillow tucked under her arm. She curled up, her adrenaline levels falling and leaving her exhausted.

"Okay," Bucky said, sitting next to her, "let's think about this. Is it possible you lost it on the way over?"

Jane rested her head on his shoulder, his scent calming her, easing the tension in her muscles. "I definitely had it when I got here. It got snagged in my dress and I had to stop to make sure nothing ripped."

"Okay," Bucky said, lips pursed. "So either the kitchen or the dining room."

"Do you think someone could've taken it?" Dread built in her stomach at the thought of Clint or Natasha finding her ring on the floor, mistaking it for trash and throwing it away without a second thought. All her precious memories, gone in an instant, and she'd have no one to blame but herself.

"I doubt it," Bucky said. "My guys aren't that observant on the job. If it's not food related, it might as well not exist."

That didn't reassure her. The only reason she wasn't tearing the kitchen apart by now was Bucky's arms around her. There were drains in the floor near the freezer and cooking stations. What if while she was sneaking up on Bucky it just happened to slide off her finger and land between the grates? It could be halfway through the sewer system on it's way to the Atlantic ocean by now. It could be in a fish's intestinal tract by now. It could be-

 _'Jane,'_ the warning voice in her head sounded less like herself and more like a know it all six year old. _'Losing your head won't help. You must remain calm.'_

If she really wanted to sound like him, she should throw in a playful jab at her intelligence and choice of wardrobe, but there was no time for that. She had important childhood/human memories to save. She nestled into Bucky's chest, reveling in the feel of him before breaking away and returning to the hunt.

In the kitchen, only Clint and Natasha remained. Pietro walked in from the dining room, took one look at Jane and backed up. "Oh no, not again."

"Get over here," Bucky said, his voice compelling even as Pietro cursed and muttered to himself. "Did you find Jane's ring?"

"No, I didn't find it," Pietro snapped. He tried to leave, but Bucky blocked his path. "What?"

"Did you even look?"

"I just said I did."

"So _look harder._ " Bucky got right in Pietro's face, and though he barely had an inch on him in height, he managed to appear ten feet taller.

"Or what?" Pietro challenged, because apparently he had no concept of danger.

The air thickened, and a twinge of fear bloomed in Jane's chest for what might happen next. She wasn't the only one, as the girl Jane had seen behind the bar rushed into the kitchen and made a beeline for the two men.

"Pietro, what are you doing?" Given the vague similarities they shared, Jane guessed the girl was his sister, though from the way she spoke, one could mistake her for his mother. "Are you picking fights again?"

Pietro groaned. "Why does everyone think it's my fault when shit happens?"

"Because usually, it is," said Natasha.

"And because your ears turn red and it's adorable," Clint quipped, sticking his head out from the far corner by the freezer.

Pietro's ears did indeed take on a distinctly pink shade. "You want me to turn your face pink, Barton?"

"I think you mean black and blue."

"All of you shut up," Bucky snapped. "If anyone finds Jane's ring, tell me immediately. Are we clear?"

A smattering of unintelligible muttering.

"I said, _are we clear?"_

"Yes Alpha," they chorused, Natasha and Clint barely containing laughter.

"Dumbasses," Bucky grumbled before taking Jane by the hand and leading her to the dining room.

Nothing was out of place since the last time they were here. Jane's chair was pushed in and the lights were dimmed. The windows were spotless, the floors mopped. The bar was dark and the TVs turned off. All was still and silent.

"Could you check the vacuum cleaner?" Bucky whispered to Clint while Jane got down on her hands and knees to look under the tables. He must not have known her hearing was almost as good as his.

"Sure, but I doubt it got in there," said Clint. "That stupid piece of shit can't pick up a dust bunny, let alone a ring."

"But isn't it so thoughtful of you to check anyway?"

Clint rolled his eyes but did as he was told. While he sifted through the vacuum cleaner bag, Bucky got down on his hands and knees with Jane. She crawled around the table, her face an inch from the carpet. Tiny white specks in the fibers failed to appear round and painted gold. Jane checked the two adjacent tables, lifting each one over her head in case it had rolled under the legs.

"So, what's new in the vampire world?" Bucky asked while feeling under the carpet by the bar. "I haven't been keeping up."

Jane knew what he was doing. He was trying to distract her from all the worst case scenarios her brain fed her. It was so obvious and yet so sweet at the same time. "If I knew, I'd tell you, but I'm not up to date either."

"Didn't renew your subscription to Blood Lovers Daily?"

Jane giggled. "It's Fanged Fiends Monthly, and no, I haven't."

"That's a damn shame." Bucky turned another chair over. "How's a guy supposed to stay in the know when his one source of information isn't current?"

"Is that all I am to you now? A source of information?" She meant only to tease him, and he probably knew that, but as he appeared out of nowhere and pulled her into a searing kiss, Jane knew Bucky Barnes would take every opportunity to remind her how much he wanted her. She could live with that.

"That answer your question?" he asked when he was done.

"Uh huh…" Jane slurred, rolling her tongue over a pressure point in his neck. It was a good thing she'd chugged an entire bottle of blood substitute before leaving. He smelled delicious. "You are very persuasive."

"Not as much as you," he chuckled. "I'm a good kisser but I couldn't psych people out with hypnosis."

"If it helps, neither can I," said Jane. "I can only use it on one person at a time. You'd need to be a Pureblood or one of the Living to do more."

"Living?"

Jane rolled over and sat down on the floor. "That's what we call vampires turned by Purebloods. They're supposed to be a lot stronger than a normal Turned. They don't need as much blood to sustain themselves and they can stay in the sun longer. They can even reproduce like the Purebloods. That's why we call them Living, because unlike most Turned vampires, they're still technically alive."

"Huh, interesting," said Bucky as he sidled up next to her. "So which one are you?"

Jane raised an eyebrow. "I was turned by a hobo in an alley. What do you think?"

"I think you are way too warm to be a zombie," Bucky muttered huskily in her ear. His stubble tickled her skin.

"Stop it," Jane said with a half-hearted attempt at pushing him away. "I'm not a zombie, you jerk. I'm just undead."

"Nah, I don't buy it." He nibbled on her earlobe. "You're too warm. If they don't call that living, I'll have to complain to the management."

"Yeah, send a strongly worded letter to the Master of the Vampires. That'll work."

"Just give me his address and it's done."

"Why would I know his address? I've never met him."

"Probably some Count Orlok type asshole." He licked her ear, making her yelp. He crawled on top of her, kissing his way to her mouth. "Probably never leaves his castle and sleeps in a dirty old coffin."

"We don't… sleep in coffins," Jane moaned. "They're uncomfortable."

He reached her lips. "You speaking from experience?"

"Mmmm…" Jane kissed back with fervor, disappointed when he pulled away and went back to her ear. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Clint had long ago escaped to the kitchen as the two of them grew hot and heavy. Alone in the closed up dining room, Jane would've happily allowed Bucky to have his wicked way with her, all with the added thrill of being caught if someone walked in. A ray of moonlight trailed in through the window, creating a sparkle effect as it hit a small object hidden in the corner of the room-

"My ring!" Jane threw Bucky off her, nearly kicking him in the chest. She'd apologize later. That gleam in the corner was calling her name and her heart soared knowing it could only be… a quarter.

It was a quarter.

Jane had never understood why, as a 'less than alive' being, she could still cry real tears, but after a while, even the most inquisitive of scientific minds had to accept that some things were beyond explanation. As she cried, Bucky pulled her into his lap. She snuggled against him. "Sorry. I thought I saw my ring."

"It's okay," he said, kissing her temple. Jane rested her head on his chest, letting out a deep, long sigh to relieve the tension. "We'll find it. I promise."

Two doors opened at once. The first was Clint walking out if the kitchen, the second was Steve using a key to get in through the front door. They shared a glance, with Steve being the only one brave enough to speak. "Are we interrupting something?"

"We're closed," Bucky growled. "Go get drunk at the bar, asshole."

"You know that doesn't work for us," Steve countered. "If you didn't want me barging in, don't give me a key next time."

"You were supposed to hold it because I don't trust Pietro," said Bucky, ignoring the indignant cry of 'I heard that!' from the kitchen. "What are you doing here?"

"Wanted to see if you were up for a little hunting," Steve said. "Didn't know you had a hot date… is she all right?"

Jane was slumped over, feeling like a heart was opening in her chest. Maybe it was silly to get so worked up over a little penny toy, but it was more than just a ring to her. It was a symbol, a tether to her human life. A reminder of a friendship she still cherished decades later. How much longer would she remember his face and his voice? Years passed, the earth turned, and even vampires aged in their own way.

"She lost her ring," Bucky explained to Steve. "You didn't happen to see one anywhere, did you?"

"I don't think so." He checked under his feet. "You sure she had it?"

"I'm right here you know!" Jane snapped. "And yes, I definitely had it."

"What if it fell in the garbage somewhere?" Clint piped up. "Or maybe it fell off her finger and landed in someone's shoe."

"That's disgusting," said Steve.

"Never said it was nice," Clint replied. "You want my advice? Check the dumpsters. That's where Jane came in. If she lost it anywhere, that would be my guess. Unless you two would rather go back to christening in the dining room, in which case Steve and I would be happy to give you some privacy-"

"You _really_ want that broken arm, don't you, Barton?"

Jane could sit there and listen to Bucky throw his Alpha weight around all night, but she was on a mission and Clint had just given her a new lead. She charged through the kitchen, passed Pietro, who ignored her, and Natasha, who stepped out of Jane's way and went back to taking inventory. The door swung open as if by magic and out she sailed.

Three boys with paint cans and backward baseball caps sprayed lewd messages on the side of the dumpster, which was already covered in older graffiti. Two ran away as Jane barreled towards them. The third was slow and found himself on the receiving end of the most powerful hypnosis spell Jane could muster. **_"Tell me where my ring is."_**

"I don't have a ring," he slurred, his head lolling from side to side.

 ** _"Tell me did you see it?"_**

"Haven't seen a ring…"

A side effect of the spell was that Jane heard the blood rushing to his face, she smelled it. He was not particularly appetizing and Jane imagined it would go straight to her thighs, but blood was blood and Jane was a vampire. She broke contact and let the boy fall back on his ass. "What the fuck? What just happened?"

"Nothing," Jane said miserably. "Get out of here. Go find your friends and quit vandalizing public property."

"Hey, you can't tell me what to do!" At full height, he was a foot taller than her, but no amount of height or girth could make those rubbery jowls intimidating. "You think I'm scared of you, you little-"

"What about me?" Bucky appeared behind her, his wolf fangs bared and eyes glowing. "You scared of me?"

The boy took off screaming, leaving a lingering scent of urine in his wake. Jane moved around the dumpster, ignoring the thick cloud of rotting garbage and the fly colony which had made its home in a cardboard box. Swatting them away, she felt at the edges while Bucky assessed the damage those kids had caused.

"I need a security camera out here," he muttered. "Hey Barton, remind me to have Pietro scrub this dumpster."

"He's gonna hate that."

"Good point. Make him scrub it and repaint it."

Jane made two go-arounds before giving up. Her ring wasn't there, her finger was bare, and her heart was aching. "I can't believe this. I should never have brought it with me. Now it's gone."

"No, it's not," said Bucky. "We didn't find it on the way back, so it has to be in the restaurant. What else did you do before we left?"

"Nothing," Jane croaked. "I waited for you, and I people watched, and that guy came in, and… wait."

Jane replayed her encounter with that strange werewolf. The one Bucky hated for reasons unknown. The one who made sure to bump her on his way out, perhaps only to stick it to Bucky in some petty way. Which side had she been hit on? The left or right? Was it her ring side? It had to be!

Bucky must have been sick of her running off without a word. He made a grab for her, barely missing as she leaped to the top step and sprinted to the dining room. She scanned the area for the spot where the altercation took place. Returning to her table she moved first towards the front door, doing a second, more thorough search. Then she tried the windows, just in case it had rolled away. Two tables down, in a spot which hadn't been searched before, Jane pushed the chairs out and peeked in the grooves in the carpet.

Nothing.

Jane was frozen, the pain spreading through her chest. She'd been so sure this time.

"Ahem." Bucky hovered at her side, a hand outstretched, not to help her up but to reveal a piece of plastic gold with a dust bunny attached to the jewel. "Looking for this?"

Jane could've kissed him. Again. She could've kissed him multiple times and then done many other things one can't discuss without becoming R-rated. "Where did you find it?"

Bucky jerked his head at the table directly next to the one she moved. "Looks like when Rumlow ran into you it went flying. Maybe you should have it refitted."

Jane smiled tearfully. "Can't help it. Small fingers."

Bucky took her hand and slipped the ring on. He kissed all five fingers in succession. "Feeling better now?"

"I feel like ripping your clothes off," she said.

He opened his mouth, and Jane had a few guesses as to what he wanted to say. 'Why don't you do it?' came to mind. Or possibly 'I couldn't agree more,' or even 'Not if I rip yours off first.' In the end, she didn't care. She seized her opportunity and crushed their lips together, her tongue sliding into his mouth. He kissed back with fervor, dragging her out of the dining room to the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Steve shouted after them because apparently he never left. "You weren't bothering anyone at all."

Jane thought she heard the words 'stupid punk' against her lips. Bucky got the door to his office open without looking. One second later, he was toppling to the ground, taking Jane with him. She landed on his chest, him showing no signs of pain but some confusion. He edged a couch cushion out from under him. Four more just like it were on the floor around them, along with throw pillows and papers.

"Oh right, I searched in here…" Jane grinned apologetically. "Maybe we should clean up a little first?"

Bucky groaned. "I swear, if we can't go one second without an interruption, this relationship is never going to work."

"Who said we're in a relationship," Jane said cheekily.

Bucky raised an eyebrow, and when he smiled next she was sure his eyes flashed gold. "Oh, I'll show you, the second that couch is fixed, you're gonna get it."

"Can't wait," Jane winked at him and sashayed over to the closest pillow, making sure to bend low as she picked it up. One more time, she rubbed the ring on her finger. It was firmly in its proper place and would never leave her again. _'Thanks for giving me courage.'_


	3. Looking At The Moon

_The new neighbors had come the day before, but four-year-old Jane had yet to meet them. Her parents said they were a family with two children, both boys. She had hoped they'd be girls because boys have cooties, but the since the rest of her neighbors were old people and couples without kids, she'd take what she could get._

 _The first boy was taller than her and had blonde hair with blue eyes. He shook Jane's hand because his mother told him to, and then he went to throw a ball around in the backyard. Jane didn't like sports much, so she didn't join him. He was a nice boy, though. His cooties might not be so bad._

 _The second boy sat on the stoop with a book. It was thick with red leather binding. Jane knew how to read but the words on the cover were long and big, like the books her dad read. He was her age, maybe a little older, but they'd be in the same grade. That surprised Jane a lot. He must've been really smart to read books like that._

 _"Why don't you say hello," his mother said. She had soft eyes and a nice smile. Jane liked her right away._

 _She walked over to the boy and waved. "Hello!"_

 _He looked up, scowled, and buried his face between the pages. She heard him mutter and it sounded like 'leave me alone'. Jane backed away, hoping he wouldn't snap at her for real. He went right back to reading like he didn't care at all._

 _"I don't think he likes me," Jane said, hanging her head._

 _"Don't mind him, dear. He's a bit shy around new people," said his mother. "I'm sure you'll become great friends in no time."_

 _"Okay," said Jane, but even at such a young age, she knew when she wasn't wanted. She didn't think she and that boy would ever be friends._

* * *

Jane smiled as she held her ring up to the light. It didn't shine or sparkle, the fake gem dulled from years locked away in darkness, but anyone who said it wasn't beautiful could hang. The most expensive diamond in the world would mean nothing compared to this.

She pushed a pillow under further under her head. The couch was comfier than her bed and twice as warm. It would be even warmer with another body beside her, but Bucky had yet to get whoever interrupted their private time (again) with a 'very important call' off the phone.

"Yes, we will happily give you a refund on the fries ma'am. We're very sorry they were soggy-" the woman screeched unintelligibly as Bucky made a 'blah blah blah' motion with his free hand. He then retracted his crawls and scratched at the air above the receiver with a playful growl.

Jane giggled into her hands, though she was pretty sure the irate woman on the other end heard her, as her shrieks became louder. "Be nice," Jane mouthed.

Bucky pouted, but put the claws away and spoke in the same professional tone. "Okay, just bring the receipt with you tomorrow and we'll get that order fixed for you. Thank you very much and once again, I'm so sorry for the inconvenience."

He hung up in the middle of her ranting. She'd probably be at it for another hour before she realized no one was listening. Tossing the phone aside he turned slowly to the couch with a playful smirk that made Jane's toes curl.

"What's with the face?" She bit her lip seductively as he stalked towards the couch.

"Just thinking about how pretty you are," he said, "all mussed up and flush-faced. I mean, I knew I was a good kisser, but damn. Didn't know I was that good."

She'd roll her eyes, but he wasn't wrong. Didn't mean she couldn't tease him. "How do you know I'm not always this pale? I am a vampire."

"And I'm a cocky sonuvabitch," he said, kissing her softly. "Haven't you noticed?"

"Well, at least you're honest about it." Jane gasp before kissing back with fervor.

They could've continued forever, and Jane wouldn't have a single complaint, but the logical part of her made sure to whisper that this was only the first date. Better to save the big moment for when they knew each other better. Maybe this was weird given she'd only met him two or three times before now, and already she was happily making out with him and letting him paw at her (over the clothes) to his heart's content. Still, she had her pride and Bucky wasn't just a casual fling.

At least, she hoped he wasn't.

After a few more minutes of 'getting acquainted'- which might have been more like an hour but who's counting- Bucky and Jane emerged from the office, buttons undone and necks splotchy. The remaining kitchen staff grinned knowingly, a few hollered, and not even a glare from their Alpha could ruin the moment.

Jane squeezed Bucky's hand. "Let's go. You can kill your pack later."

"They'd better hope not," Bucky growled, his sharp teeth bared in warning.

"Get fucked," Clint shouted.

"Better than you, asshole."

They left out the front door to laughter and scattered applause. Bucky groaned as Jane snuggled into his side. "You guys must be pretty close."

"Meh. We've bonded," he said, smiling slightly.

The night had grown long, but the moon was still out. Judging from its position, they had three hours left until dawn, and Jane planned to make the most of it. A simple stroll through the park had never felt more romantic. Don had preferred the beach where he could boogie board and try to surf. He never made much progress on the latter and Jane quickly got sick of pouring sand out of her shoes. Just one more idiosyncrasy which in the end, spelled doom for their marriage.

The park was as empty as the night they met. Even the drug addicts and vandals had taken their normal activities elsewhere. Conversation fell into comfortable silence as they enjoyed the sounds of the forest and each other. It was not yet winter, but cold enough that the usual bugs and pests were holed away, waiting for spring. Fallen leaves crunched under their feet. Most trees were long since bare, but a few had held on throughout October and into November. By Christmas, the ground would be covered in a blanket of white. She imagined watching the first snowfall in Bucky's arms, the two of them wrapped in a wool blanket with steaming mugs of cocoa in their hands.

Okay, so Jane would have a cup of blood substitute, which would taste like hot iron water, but it was the principle of the thing.

Bucky nudged her. "Whatcha thinking about?"

Jane caught a whiff of crisp air and freshly baked apples wafting from a nearby house. "Just how beautiful it is out here."

"If I said 'yes, you are beautiful,' would that be cliche?"

"It would absolutely be cliche," Jane grinned, "but you can say it anyway."

He pulled her into a hug, her face buried in his chest. God, he smelled so good. His blood would taste amazing; warm and sweet. So potent. Jane had no shame in thinking these thoughts as the substitute sated her thirst and dammit, she was in her sixties. She was allowed to be a dirty old woman and lust after hot younger men sometimes.

She licked his Adam's apple, a bold act even with the substitute. He growled and her knees threatened to buckle. "Not a good time for outdoor sex, Doll. That's serious stuff for werewolves."

"Is it?" She licked him again.

"Mm-hm…" he mumbled. "It's what we do when we're mating."

Jane stopped licking. "What? You mean like…"

"Like when we find the one we want to be with forever, we mate under the light of the full moon." He rubbed the small of her back. "Has to be a clear night, usually happens during the summer, and it's pretty much our version of a marriage."

"Oh…" Jane pushed off, though the taste of his skin and the scent of his blood lingered. "Guess we shouldn't do that."

"Not until the second date at least."

Jane nudged him with her elbow, breaking their embrace as they continued down the path.

It was close to four in the morning when they got back. The restaurant was completely dark and Steve was leaning against a flickering lamppost, throwing a rubber ball at the brick wall. He caught it each time, his hand moving like a glitching film. In one place one second, in another the next.

"Hey! No solicitors," Bucky shouted at him. "Move out or I'm calling the cops."

"You're just dying for an ass-kicking in front of your girl, aren't you?"

"I'd like to see you try. What are you still doing here? Don't you have a wife at home?"

"Peggy's away on business," Steve said. "I got nothing better to do than come here and bug you."

"Nothing at all? Wow. The pack must really hate you."

"Boys…" Jane said.

She was barely a twig compared to their massive, muscular frames, yet in the face of her ire, they were cowed. They gave each other a clap on the shoulder before the three of them started down the street, Jane securely tucked under Bucky's flesh arm. Steve grinned at them like a proud father.

"What a beautiful couple you two are. My little boy is all grown up."

"Your little boy is about to take you to the pavement if you don't shut your piehole."

They had entered a street of mainly bars with a few strip clubs here and there, just to solidify the seediness and ill repute of the whole place. It reminded Jane of Olivia's coven, how depraved they all were. This was exactly the kind of place people like them would hang out.

People like Rumlow, too, as Jane learned when the man himself stumbled out of a shoebox-shaped gray building with cracked windows and a flickering neon red sign reading 'The Snake'. The double doors groaned, the wood chipped and moldy. The stench of beer hit Jane hard enough to make her gag. As a human, alcohol had only ever made her queasy. As a vampire, she'd be better off swimming in a sewer.

A second man stomped out, large and wide, a greasy shirt unable to contain a hairy beer belly. He had shaggy dark hair and a full beard, like an out-of-shape Tarzan. His fists were balled and he had bruises on his knuckles. He stuck one massive booted foot on Rumlow's chest. "Had enough of your ugly face, shithead. Hope you're ready to dance because I got your partner right here."

He reached into his pocket. Jane's stomach dropped as her eyes traced the outline of a blade.

Rumlow checked his watch. "You done yet?"

The man paused, staring dumbly at his would-be victim. "The fuck did you just say?"

"Come on, pal. I know you're not that stupid. I got things to do and places to be, so either hit me now or get lost."

His eyes were speckled with gold, not quite solid yet. He stared at the sky and would've seemed passive if one ignored his nails turning into claws. Jane observed the scene as Bucky's arms tightened. Not that she was eager to step in, but she didn't want to be the splash zone when that guy's guts hit the ground.

"Should we do something?" She squeezed Bucky's hand. His answering growl lacked the aggressive edge she was used to. He sounded more like he'd stepped on a pebble.

If he wanted to leave Rumlow to fend for himself, Steve did not agree.

"Hey, guys. Everything okay?"

The hairy man didn't bother looking. He had his knife out and the blade cut a thin line into the side of Rumlow's neck. A drop of blood dripped from the tip as Rumlow sneered at Steve.

"Beat it, Rogers. This is a private conversation."

 _'You're welcome,'_ Jane thought, not objecting when Bucky walked them backward.

"Just thought you could use some help," Steve said.

"Well, as you can see, I have everything under control." The hairy man grit his teeth. It would've been scarier if there weren't three actual werewolves present.

"See Steve? He has everything under control," Bucky said. "Now let's get going. Nice knowing you, Rumlow."

"Suck my dick, Barnes."

"You wish."

"Hey!" The hairy man was bright purple and brandished his knife at Steve. "I don't know who you freaks think you are, but you can get the hell outta here!"

The blade came a fraction of an inch from ripping Steve's nose off. He raised an eyebrow. "No need to get mad at us, pal. We'll just take your buddy and go if that's okay."

"Or we'll just go."

"Bucky, shut up."

"Oh no, he's not going anywhere," the hairy man interjected. "He cheated me at cards and I'll take my money out of his ass if I have to. Try and stop me."

"Well, if we can't settle this like adults, I guess I'll have no choice." Steve shrugged.

"Why you little…"

The hairy man seemed to think he could use his greater size to his advantage, but he kept a fair distance between himself and Steve, well out of arm's length. Jane sniffed the air, catching a whiff of blood, both Rumlow's and the hairy man's. The former smelled like a less appealing Bucky, the latter like what she imagined motor oil would taste like. If there were any other differences, she couldn't detect it, but she was more than certain this was a normal human who, on some level, realized he was in over his head.

"I'm gonna give you one more chance to fuck off and leave," he said through grit teeth, "before I tear that pretty face up!"

"You ever think how we could be at the club right now?" Bucky grumbled in Jane's ear. "We could be at the club right now. They have private rooms and everything."

Jane smiled weakly.

"Sir, please put that away," Steve said, his tone clipped as his patience wore thin.

"That's it. You asked for it. Now I'm gonna beat your ass and his. Two for the price of one! Must be my lucky night."

The hairy man's smile vanished on the last word, his face blanching as he let out a banshee shriek of pain. It ripped Jane's ears apart. She shut her eyes but got a split second glimpse of Rumlow with his claws buried in the man's ankle.

Two hard thuds later, the screaming cut off. Jane hazarded a peek. The hairy man was face down on the ground, his fat spread out around him, the knife under Steve's boot. He wiped his hands off on his jacket and nudged the hairy man, rolling him on his back. His nose was cracked and already starting to swell. Jane had taken a few nursing classes during her undergrad. Nothing major, just some basic first aid and anatomy. A break like that would take weeks to heal, and that didn't factor in the psychological damage.

"Fucker," Rumlow muttered as he sat up.

"You talking about him or me?"

He glared at Steve. "Both. Next time, mind your own business, would you?"

Steve folded his arms but otherwise didn't react to Rumlow's venomous words. Neither did Bucky, except to keep muttering to himself about all the other things they could be doing right now. Jane, however, did not have the lengthy, unpleasant history with Rumlow that they clearly did. She was never one to hide her feelings anyway.

"You don't know when to say 'thank you' do you?"

Rumlow stared at her like he'd only just noticed she was there. "Pardon?"

"You heard me," Jane said. "I'm pretty sure you're not in either of their packs, so we could've left you to fend for yourself. The least you can do is show a little gratitude."

His eyes had switched to gold, but Jane's back remained straight. She kept her fangs out, pitiful as they were. Rumlow ignored Bucky's hateful growl as he approached Jane, walking right into the alpha's territory. Of the three men, Rumlow was the shortest, but he was still all muscle. He folded his arms, his mouth full of razor-sharp teeth stretching into an unsettling grin.

"Okay," he hissed in her face, "thank you. Now fuck off."

He bent his head back, narrowly avoiding Bucky's claws. He sunk into the shadows, too dark for even inhuman eyesight. His steps echoed down the street like a cool laugh and he was gone. Bucky still wouldn't let go of Jane until she pinched his hand.

"Fucking hate that smug fucker," he griped. "I swear, one of these days, he's going to push me too damn far and that'll be it."

"Believe me, Buck, I know the feeling," said Steve. He turned the hairy men's head with his foot. A snore like a broken chainsaw confirmed he wasn't dead.

"Then why'd you bother getting involved? You don't like him any more than I do."

"You know it's not about liking him. We don't have to like him to understand him."

"Hmm…" Bucky averted his gaze but made no further argument.

"Not to be that person," Jane said as the tension in the air finally alleviated, "but can someone tell me what that guy's deal is?"

Steve looked at Bucky, who remained fixated on a patch of moss growing through a crack in the brick wall. He sighed. "Rumlow's an alpha like us. His pack was settled upstate for years, and then one night, someone or something attacked them while they slept. Every one of them died that night."

Jane's stomach sunk like a brick. "You're kidding."

"He's not," Bucky said, his eyes darkening even as he tried to sound aloof. "We still have no idea who did it. Rumlow wasn't there when it happened, and ever since then, he's been going around picking fights and provoking other alphas. If I didn't know better, I'd say he wants to get his head knocked off."

"I wouldn't be surprised," said Steve. "You have to understand, Jane, being an alpha isn't just about being the biggest, strongest wolf. An alpha is a leader. Your pack looks to you for guidance, for safety. Losing one member is bad enough, but all of them at once? It's like losing your children."

Bucky's jaw twitched. It was all he had to add and it was enough for Jane. Any other questions or thoughts she might've had were silenced. For once, she ignored her insatiable curiosity. Voices inside the bar marred the solemn atmosphere, but Jane could easily tune it out. For the moment, she was elsewhere.

* * *

 _Old Mr. Stanley had a mean old dog and Jane didn't like him. She liked cats better. Cats didn't bark at you from behind the fence when you went into the yard. Mr. Stanley's dog did that all the time, so while his real name was Gus, Jane called him Grumpy._

 _She was in her front yard when Grumpy started barking again. He was chained to a tree and couldn't jump over the fence, but it looked like he wanted to. Maybe he wanted Jane's ice cream or maybe he just wanted to eat her. They both seemed likely. Jane stuck her tongue out at him like she did the mean kids on the playground._

 _"Go away," Jane yelled over the barking. "Go away, Grumpy! You're mean!"_

 _Grumpy barked more, and then Jane her someone behind her. "Why don't you try being nice?"_

 _It was the neighbor boy. Jane had played with him and his brother a few times since they moved in, and he was a little nicer now, but still, mean._

 _"He's not nice," she pouted, "so why should I be?"_

 _"It's the golden rule. Treat others like you want to be treated. You should follow it."_

 _"You don't. You act like you're smarter than everyone. That's not nice."_

 _"The truth usually isn't."_

 _Jane stuck her tongue out at him. He didn't stick his out back._

 _"That's juvenile."_

 _"Is not."_

 _"You don't know what that word means."_

 _"Do to!"_

 _"Then what does it mean?"_

 _"...you're a meanie and so is Grumpy. I won't be nice to him."_

 _The dog kept barking like it was mad they weren't paying attention anymore. Jane went back to licking her ice cream as the neighbor boy walked up to the fence. He reached out and pat Grumpy on the head. Grumpy didn't bite his hand off. He stopped barking and closed his eyes and stuck his head out more and he looked happy! Jane had never seen Grumpy happy before. Maybe he needed a new name now._

 _"Jane, come here."_

 _She didn't. Not until he called her a second and a third time. Then she dropped her empty ice cream wrapper and shuffled over._

 _"I'm not petting him," she said before the neighbor boy could ask._

 _"Yes you are," he said. "Then you'll see he's not so bad."_

 _Jane didn't believe him, but then he grabbed her hand and placed it on Grumpy's head. His head felt warm with short fur on top. His tongue hung out of his mouth. Loki let go and Jane pet Grumpy a few more times. She was starting to kind of like it. Whenever she tried to pet her grandma's cat, he just scratched her, so this was nice._

 _"Sometimes, scary things aren't so bad when you give them a chance," said the neighbor boy. "If they're mean, it could be because they're sad or scared, and all they need is someone to understand them."_

 _"But what about if they're mean just to be mean? What happens then?"_

 _"That's when you get a knife and stab them."_

 _"Oh."_

 _The next day, Jane's mom said she couldn't play with the neighbor boy alone anymore._

* * *

Bucky waited by the door as Jane dug through her treasure box, finding a corner at the bottom to store her ring. She held the precious gem between her palms like a prayer, feeling the plastic bits poke through her skin. It stung the tiniest bit, but like the ring itself, the pain was real and tangible.

"Never letting you out of my sight again," she muttered, dropping it in its secret hiding place.

"Now, I'm not one to pry," Bucky said, "but you still haven't told me why this ring is so important."

Jane blinked. Hadn't she? "I thought I did."

"Nope." Bucky flopped on the couch. "Believe me, I commit everything you say to memory, and that story did not come up."

He really thought he was cute, and unfortunately, he was. Jane was still not going to smile. She sucked her lips over her teeth and fingered the stack of photos. At the very bottom was a shot of her and a little boy with black hair. He didn't smile for the camera, probably thought he was too cool. Even at the tender age of six, he knew how to maintain his image. Jane giggled out loud, forgetting for a moment that she wasn't alone.

"Loki," she murmured.

Which might as well have been screaming to a werewolf. "Who's Loki?"

"What?" Jane shook her head. "Oh, sorry. Got lost there for a second." She joined him on the couch, photo in hand. He took it and held it to the light, appraising her snaggle-toothed younger self as though she'd actually been a cute kid. "That's Loki. He was my neighbor for a few years when I was a kid."

"Looks like you guys were close," Bucky said, clearly focusing more on her picture than his. "No way that was his real name, though."

"Would you believe he had a brother named Thor and their parents were Odin and Frigga?"

"Nope." Bucky handed the picture back.

"Too bad, because it's true," she said, giggling at his look of horror. "He was kind of a jerk when we first met, but we still became good friends, and right before he left, he gave me that ring. It was part of a set of two. I got one and he got the other."

"He's the one who said it would make you brave."

Jane nodded. "It was weird, he was never the sentimental type. I guess it was his way of showing he cared. And even though we never saw each other again, I still think about him sometimes. Wondering what would've happened if we stayed in touch or met again a few years later. Looking back, I might've had a little crush on him."

That was a bit more than she intended to say, but it had been so long since she talked about Loki. Not even Darcy knew his name. And Bucky was just so easy to talk to. She was almost ready to tell him about the waning months of her marriage when she overheard Don tell his friends he took night shifts at the hospital just so he wouldn't have to listen to her 'crazy stories about black holes anymore.'

"Crush, huh?" Bucky glanced one more time at the photo. "You sure? He looks too nerdy for you."

Jane rolled her eyes. "As if you were never a scrawny kid with bad hair."

"Scrawny? No." He flexed a little, which Jane couldn't say she didn't appreciate. "And my hair is always perfect, thank you very much."

"Sure, sure," Jane said, planting a small peck on the side of his mouth. "Bucky Barnes doesn't know the meaning of bedhead."

"Damn right," he smirked. "Think your old buddy Loki could say the same thing? I doubt it."

"Says the man whose jealous of a kid," she countered. "You realize he's an old man now, right? He'll have gotten married and had a family. If he's still alive, I doubt he even remembers me."

"Yeah, I call bullshit. You're unforgettable."

He was so sure of it, he'd hear no arguments to the contrary. That's what Jane assumed when he dragged her into his lap and slipped his tongue in her mouth. The photo fell to the floor as Jane caressed his cheeks. She'd pick it up later and put it back where it belonged, safe with the rest of her most prized possessions. The symbols of her past, reminding her of where she came from and what she truly was in her heart.

It was a beautiful world she came from, and a beautiful future ahead of her.

* * *

A dark castle, hidden within a cave isolated by mountains deep in the heart of Norway. No mortal would ever dare trek so far through the deathly tundra. No weary traveler ever knocked on their doors seeking shelter, and that was just the way the denizens of the castle liked it.

Winding corridors led to spacious rooms, most of which had been empty for millennia. No one remembered when it had been built. The most ancient servants had not yet been born. All anyone knew was that it had stayed within the same family for generations, passed from one son to the next. Within the highest tower, the current owner rested after a long, arduous day of work. He watched the stars shine, a half-full glass of blood beside him. He sipped at his leisure, not thirsty enough to see more yet.

At a knock on the door, his wrist turned, undoing the locks. A man with red-gold eyes full of ageless wisdom let himself in.

"Your Majesty, forgive me, but you are needed," he said, bowing his head. "It's Lord Malcolm again. He is unhappy with the outcome of the meeting."

"Is he?" was the clipped reply.

"He requests a private audience."

"Of course he does." The rest of the blood ran down his throat. It no longer tasted good. "Thank you, Heimdall, I will be along."

He'd come whenever he felt like it. That was the meaning he knew his most trusted advisor would glean, and pass on to their dear old crusty noble friend, grasping hold of what remained of his authority. Oh, the look on his face would be a sight to behold.

A hushed, 'yes my lord' was the response. The door creaked but didn't close. "My lord, if I may speak freely…"

"You may."

"You seem troubled. Are you well?"

A smile. White fangs stained red and glistening. "I am more than well, Heimdall. Far more indeed." He stood tall, the Master of the Vampires before his throne, looking out over his kingdom, reveling in his power, rubbing a plastic ring that no longer fit. "She thinks of me."

* * *

 **A/N: Okay! Finally got this one done. I really should've finished this a long time ago. I really should've finished a lot of things a long time ago, but I digress. Now we can get into the good stuff! :D**

 **Next time: The Gathering.** **An annual meeting of the werewolf packs could spell trouble for Bucky and Jane.**

 **Hope you enjoyed!**


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